Author(s):

D Dutta and AK Pal

Abstract: Seedlings of thirteen groundnut [Arachis hypogaea L.] genotypes were raised in sand culture using modified Hoagland solution and were exposed to cadmium stress by supplementing 300 µM cadmium. Perusal of data indicated significant reduction in root dry weight, shoot dry weight and total dry weight of the seedlings under cadmium treatment. The stress tolerance indices (STI) of thirteen genotypes ranged from 65.72% to 93.81% under 300 µM cadmium stress. Among all the genotypes, ISK-2014-04 93.81%), ISK -2014-12 and TG-51 were found to be the most tolerant, while the genotypes, ISK-2014-02, ISK-2014-14 and ISK-2014-15 were found to have much lower STI and were considered to be the most susceptible to cadmium stress. Further physiological studies showed that the tolerant genotypes registered much higher increase in proline content, super oxide dismutase (SOD) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPOX) activity in their leaves under cadmium treatment compared to the susceptible ones. But the genotypes exhibited varied response to cadmium stress in respect of catalase (CAT) activity in leaf. The tolerant genotypes also recorded lower reduction in leaf protein content and nitrate reductase (NR) enzyme activity under cadmium treatment.

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